Redefining My Boundaries

As you may know, I've gotten slightly more into politics over the last two years or so. Though I've always done my research and voted, I never really paid much attention to what was going on or read the news much. Not that I became a political junkie or anything, but I started reading more articles, which led to getting more invested in one point of view or another, and it also means that I saw a lot more of the ugly side of things.

You might not be aware of this, but our media is very polarized right now (NO!) and things like Twitter and facebook make it much easier for that polarized spirit to leak out of your computer and get all over your friends and family. For me, though I tried to stay neutral and only enter the political posting waters from time to time, I still found myself getting more and more angry at people- not simply for their posts that I may disagree with, but for the attitude I inferred from these posts. There is a real spirit of anger, judgment, and hatred that turns my stomach, but I was getting caught up in the mire of being angry because these other people were always so angry!

The other day, Glen Beck pushed me past my breaking point. So what was it that I broke through and what am I leaving behind? All my mini-political junkie trappings. As painful as it is to me, I'm not watching the Daily Show or the Colbert Report anymore. I'm not following columnists on Twitter. I'll hide more people on facebook if I have to, but I'm not going to fight anymore, even in my own head.

It's not my job to be right. It's not my job to convince people that...well, of anything really. At least not in the "I'll convince you with my words and badgering and facts and figures" kind of way. I am an influence on people, and especially on a decent number of students. What am I teaching them by posting snarky political things or arguing with my friends and family in a public forum? Not love and respect.

Am I saying that one should be uninformed? Not at all. I just need to concentrate on what my job is and what my job is not. I am a teacher and leader and example; hopefully of love, mercy, humility, and grace. I know where my priorities lie.